electromagnetic waves

But plenty of other devices cause interference, too

(Newser) -
All those Christmas lights strung about might make your holidays bright, but they might also hamper your ability to binge-watch Netflix vis-a-vis a weakened WiFi signal. So warns British telecom watchdog Ofcom , which describes a decent Internet connection as the fourth essential service, ranking right up there with gas, electricity,...
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Attackers could open malicious websites, send phishing emails, and more

(Newser) -
Using radio waves, hackers at the French government agency ANSSI say they've been able to silently trigger voice commands on any smartphone thanks to access via Google Now and Siri. Reporting in the journal IEEE , they say it's possible to operate the voice-activated command tools to do things...
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She claims that electromagnetic radiation is causing health problems

(Newser) -
Electromagnetic radiation has been around since the universe first formed; it is, in its "most familiar form," light, reports the World Health Organization . But as cellphone towers and gadgets proliferate, electromagnetic radiation has increased, and some claim a sensitivity to it. One woman in France is now getting...
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Massive electromagnet will head from NY to Fermilab

(Newser) -
Say you have a 15 ton, 50-foot-wide electromagnet kicking around. And say a lab halfway across the country needs it. Scientists at Brookhaven National Lab on Long Island are facing down the logistics of that very move, reports the AP , a 3,200-mile trek to the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory...
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Italy's Supreme Court stuns with 'landmark' ruling: newspaper

(Newser) -
Italian businessman Innocente Marcolini developed a brain tumor after using his cell phone heavily for 12 years—and Italy's Supreme Court says that his phone is to blame, the Sun reports. Evidence from a respected oncologist and a neurosurgeon convinced the court that electromagnetic radiation from cell phones—and...
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'Ghost Hunter' and 'Ghost Seance' rival traditional methods

(Newser) -
Ghost hunting this weekend? Well, you can lay down your trusty electromagnetic meter and open an iPhone app to detect spirits—or so say some ghost hunters. A spirited debate is emerging between old-school hunters, who rely on the K-II EMF electromagnetic reader, and those who prefer apps like Ghost...
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Exposure to EMFs in household devices worries researchers

(Newser) -
A pregnant woman’s exposure to microwaves, power lines, hair dryers, and other devices with electromagnetic fields may increase her child’s risk of asthma, a study suggests. Scientists checked pregnant women’s levels of exposure to low-frequency magnetic fields and compared the data to the frequency of asthma in...
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Solar flare could knock out GPS, other satellites, scientists warn

(Newser) -
There’s a very good chance that sometime in the not-so-distant future, a severe solar storm could unleash an electromagnetic pulse on Earth, knocking out satellites, grounding air travel, and disrupting power grids around the world, scientists warned at an American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting. The UK’...
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A bomb could wipe out US electronics

(Newser) -
If the threat of conventional attacks by terrorists aren't enough for you, consider the EMP scenario. Bad guys detonate a nuclear weapon high above US soil, triggering an electromagnetic pulse that knocks out all electronics and renders the US helpless. The conservative Heritage Foundation is so worried it's calling on...
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Santa Fe resident says her gadgets could kill him

(Newser) -
A New Mexico man who says he can’t stand electromagnetic waves bombarding his head has sued his neighbor for not shutting off her wireless gadgets. Arthur Firstenberg claims to have electromagnetic sensitivity, which his lawsuit says produces “life-threatening reactions” and constant pain. As a result, he's now sleeping...
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Electromagnetic waves might boost memory

(Newser) -
Researchers finally have some good news about the health effects of cell phones. The electromagnetic waves the phones emit may improve memory and prevent Alzheimer's disease, according to a recent study of mice exposed to radiation similar to electromagnetic waves from cell phones. The mice showed improved cognitive function and...
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